Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuechu’s ambiguous offer to “feed” Qian Shaoyou wine initially confuses everyone. Qian Shaoyou misinterprets her words as romantic interest and eagerly accepts the drink.
• Jiang uses spiritual power to draw wine from the jug toward Qian Shaoyou’s mouth, revealing that she knows something is wrong. When he tries to resist, Chen Tong and Liu Ke restrain him and force his mouth open.
• Qian Shaoyou is unable to deny that the wine contains a drug. His father, Qian Hong, immediately kneels and begs Jiang for mercy, offering compensation on behalf of the Qian Family.
• Jiang releases Qian Shaoyou but demands to know what was in the wine. When he refuses to answer, she threatens to make Qian Hong drink it instead.
• Jiang sends monk Bujie away, then reveals the full extent of her plan when he returns leading a large force of Demon-Suppression Guards. The guards surround the entire hall.
• Jiang publicly accuses Qian Shaoyou of attempting to murder a sixth-rank imperial official and declares that everyone attending the banquet may be involved in a conspiracy.
• Acting under her authority as a Langjiang of the Heaven Division, Jiang orders all the gentry and merchants present to be taken to the Demon Suppression Office for questioning.
• Wangchen objects, accusing Jiang of behaving like a bandit and warning her to consider the consequences. He releases the pressure of his Core Formation cultivation.
• Jiang remains unmoved and orders the guards to arrest everyone, declaring that anyone who resists is to be killed without mercy.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu reveals herself as calm, strategic, and ruthless. She deliberately manipulates Qian Shaoyou’s misunderstanding, exposes the poisoned wine, and uses the incident to justify a broader investigation into Liangzhou’s elite.
• Qian Shaoyou shifts from arrogant confidence to terror. His belief in his own charm blinds him to Jiang’s trap, and his attempted scheme collapses when the drug is exposed.
• Qian Hong abandons his pride as soon as his son’s crime is revealed. He begs Jiang for mercy and becomes increasingly fearful when she threatens to involve him directly.
• Bujie demonstrates that his earlier frivolous behavior was partly an act. He returns as a forceful military leader, commanding the Demon-Suppression Guards with clear killing intent.
• Wangchen loses his composed image as an enlightened monk. His anger surfaces when Jiang threatens the interests of the local gentry, and he directly challenges her authority.
• Chen Tong and Liu Ke act efficiently and loyally, restraining Qian Shaoyou at Jiang’s command and helping enforce her control of the banquet.
• The banquet guests quickly turn from confident social elites into frightened, defensive suspects, denying any connection to Qian Shaoyou.

Significant Themes

• Justice versus entrenched privilege: Jiang uses state authority to confront wealthy merchants and gentry who appear protected by social status and influence.
• Deception and misjudgment: Qian Shaoyou’s vanity causes him to misread Jiang’s words, allowing her to catch him off guard.
• The abuse and exercise of power: The chapter raises tension over whether Jiang’s mass arrest is legitimate justice or excessive authoritarianism.
• Appearance versus reality: Bujie’s seemingly comical demeanor conceals his deadly competence, while Wangchen’s image as a serene monk gives way to anger and intimidation.
• Collective responsibility and conspiracy: Jiang treats the banquet’s organizers and attendees as potentially complicit, emphasizing that association with corruption may carry consequences.
• Merciless enforcement: The closing order establishes Jiang’s willingness to use lethal force to uphold imperial law.

Character Interactions

• Jiang psychologically dominates Qian Shaoyou, allowing him to believe she is attracted to him before exposing his plot.
• Chen Tong and Liu Ke physically support Jiang by restraining Qian Shaoyou.
• Jiang intimidates Qian Hong by threatening to make him drink the drugged wine.
• Jiang and Bujie coordinate seamlessly, with his return and the arrival of the guards revealing that the confrontation was planned.
• Jiang openly challenges Wangchen, mocking the idea that even a respected monk should be exempt from investigation.
• Wangchen responds with a cultivation-based threat and an accusation that Jiang has exceeded her authority, but Jiang answers with an uncompromising command to arrest everyone.

Key plot points and events

In his quiet study, Wei He receives Xu Changfeng, who confesses that he unauthorizedly deployed the Xuan Camp Demon-Suppression Guards under Jiang Yuechu’s command. Rather than punish him, Wei reveals that he intentionally supports Jiang’s actions. He explains that the Demon Suppression Office’s authority has weakened during the year-long vacancy of the commandery commander’s post, allowing sects and aristocratic families—especially Baosha Temple—to disregard its power. Wei sees Jiang’s bold confrontation as a chance to restore the office’s authority.
At the banquet, Jiang Yuechu orders the Demon-Suppression Guards to arrest the corrupt gentry connected to Qian Shaoyou. The guards overwhelm the hall, terrifying the wealthy families, who beg Wangchen, Baosha Temple’s Discipline Hall chief, for protection. Wangchen refuses to submit and reveals his Core Formation cultivation, unleashing overwhelming pressure that forces the guards back. Believing Jiang and the Demon Suppression Office will not dare challenge him, he arrogantly refuses arrest. Jiang immediately throws a bowl of hot soup in his face and mocks his smug expression.

Character developments

• Wei He is shown as calm, strategic, and fully aware of Jiang Yuechu’s intentions. His apparent indifference masks a deliberate effort to revive the Demon Suppression Office’s authority.
• Xu Changfeng is humbled by his mistake and realizes that Jiang’s actions have Wei He’s implicit or explicit backing. He also understands the deeper institutional crisis facing the office.
• Jiang Yuechu demonstrates fearless decisiveness. She acts against powerful gentry and a Core Formation expert without hesitation, showing that she is willing to risk direct conflict to uphold the office’s authority.
• Wangchen shifts from confident arrogance to shocked humiliation. His reliance on cultivation strength and Baosha Temple’s prestige is challenged when Jiang refuses to be intimidated.
• The wealthy gentry are exposed as cowardly and dependent on religious or political protection once the Demon Suppression Office genuinely asserts itself.

Significant themes

• Restoration of authority: The chapter emphasizes that institutions lose power when they stop enforcing it. Wei believes the Demon Suppression Office must recover its former prestige through decisive action.
• Law versus entrenched power: Jiang’s arrests challenge aristocratic privilege, sectarian influence, and the assumption that powerful figures are above the law.
• Courage and intimidation: Wangchen relies on his Core Formation cultivation to frighten others, while Jiang counters his intimidation with composure and irreverence.
• Strategic leadership: Wei’s conversation shows that apparent disorder may be part of a larger political strategy to expose weakness and reestablish authority.

Character interactions

Wei and Xu discuss the office’s decline, with Wei guiding Xu toward recognition that Jiang’s actions serve a broader purpose. Jiang and the Demon-Suppression Guards confront the gentry at the banquet, while the gentry desperately appeal to Wangchen. Wangchen attempts to dominate the guards through force and status, but Jiang directly humiliates him with the soup attack, ending the scene on a note of defiant comedy and escalating conflict.

Chapter Summary: “Baosha’s Might!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuechu publicly confronts Wangchen, the chief of Baosha Temple’s Discipline Hall, by splashing him with leftover soup. Though humiliating, the act also reveals that Wangchen—despite being a Core Formation expert—could not react to her attack.
• Jiang declares that Wangchen has threatened an imperial official and implies she is prepared to kill him. She orders Liu Ke and the others to leave while she handles the confrontation herself.
• Bujie, Chen Tong, and the Demon-Suppression Guards arrest the wealthy gentry involved in the incident, chaining them and taking them away. Qian Hong realizes that even Wangchen may be unable to protect him, while Qian Shaoyou silently falters under Jiang’s cold gaze.
• Once the hall is emptied, Jiang and Wangchen face each other in a deadly standoff. Wangchen acknowledges her extraordinary talent, but Jiang refuses to exchange words and draws her saber.
• Wangchen attacks with Baosha Temple’s supreme martial art, Five Wrath Hands, creating a chaotic barrage of palms, fists, fingers, and elbows.
• Jiang ignores the incoming attacks and charges directly at him, choosing a dangerous life-for-life exchange. Wangchen is forced to defend rather than exploit an opening.
• Her slash drives him backward and nearly breaks through his defenses. His Four Truths Golden Body, which gives his limbs extraordinary toughness, suffers a visible mark from her blade.
• Jiang’s standard-issue saber develops cracks from striking his hardened body. She considers using a more powerful Flesh Demon Armament but refrains because they are still in Liangzhou Prefecture and Wei He may be observing from nearby.
• Jiang strikes again, shattering her saber. Wangchen is delighted, believing that without a weapon she cannot withstand his iron-like arms. He then launches another furious attack, shouting for her to die.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu: Demonstrates overwhelming confidence, immense strength, and tactical fearlessness. She deliberately accepts the risk of injury to force Wangchen onto the defensive. Her restraint in not using the Flesh Demon Armament also shows awareness of political and logistical consequences.
• Wangchen: His initial arrogance turns into shock and fear after realizing Jiang’s strength. Although highly experienced and protected by powerful techniques, he becomes increasingly unsettled when her attacks damage his supposedly indestructible body.
• Liu Ke: Shows concern for Jiang’s safety and doubts whether she should face the Baosha chief alone, revealing his loyalty and caution.
• Bujie and Chen Tong: Efficiently support Jiang by removing the prisoners and maintaining control of the situation. Bujie uses humor to ease the tension, while Chen Tong acts with brutal practicality.
• Qian Hong and Qian Shaoyou: Shift from confidence to despair as they realize their status and connection to Wangchen cannot save them.

Significant Themes

• Power versus authority: Jiang uses both her official position and overwhelming martial ability to challenge Baosha Temple’s influence.
• Humiliation and reversal: Wangchen initially appears to hold all the power, but being splashed with soup exposes his inability to respond to Jiang and begins his loss of control.
• Fearlessness and calculated risk: Jiang’s willingness to trade injuries for a decisive strike contrasts with Wangchen’s more defensive, technique-based approach.
• Limits of established power: Wangchen’s prestigious cultivation, secret arts, and hardened body—sources of lifelong confidence—are suddenly shown to be inadequate against Jiang.
• Restraint amid violence: Even during a deadly confrontation, Jiang avoids revealing a stronger weapon, suggesting that political awareness and concealment are as important as martial strength.

Important Character Interactions

• Jiang coldly threatens Wangchen while he attempts to preserve his dignity and intimidate her.
• Liu Ke warns Jiang against fighting alone, but Bujie and the guards carry out her order and remove the prisoners.
• Qian Shaoyou appears ready to speak to Jiang but loses his nerve when confronted by her indifferent gaze.
• Wangchen praises Jiang’s talent while trying to provoke and overpower her; Jiang responds only through increasingly powerful saber strikes.
• The chapter ends with Wangchen convinced that Jiang is defenseless after her saber breaks, setting up the next stage of their battle.

Chapter Summary: “Old Dog”

Key plot points and events

• The old monk, Wangchen—the head of Baosha Temple’s Discipline Hall—attacks Jiang Yuechu with a full-force punch infused with his Core Formation true qi. Believing her body cannot withstand his half-step body-tempering strength, he expects the collision to shatter her.
• Jiang Yuechu meets his punch head-on and emerges unharmed, revealing that her physical body is extraordinarily powerful and may also have been tempered through a martial technique.
• She follows with a true-qi-infused whip kick. Realizing he cannot defeat her, Wangchen deliberately charges into the kick to use its force to escape through the second-floor window.
• Instead, Jiang Yuechu’s kick is so powerful that it launches him hundreds of meters away and severely injures him.
• While Chen Tong and the Demon-Suppression Guards secure Fortune Tower, Jiang Yuechu orders them to capture another surviving monk and pursues Wangchen herself.
• Wangchen crashes into an alley with both arms broken. He attempts to crawl back to Baosha Temple, but Jiang Yuechu catches and kills him by stomping on his back and neck.
• The system awards her 129 years of Dao Cultivation for killing a Core Formation Realm human. Jiang Yuechu reflects that human cultivators yield less Dao Cultivation than demons because they cultivate for shorter periods, though humans are more numerous.
• Jiang Yuechu returns to Fortune Tower dragging Wangchen’s corpse behind her. The surviving young monk, already subdued by Chen Tong and the others, is horrified and enraged when he sees his master’s body.

Character developments

• Jiang Yuechu demonstrates overwhelming physical strength, combat instincts, and confidence. She defeats Wangchen without relying on her saber or the divine abilities of the Hundred Demons Register, suggesting that her body-tempering abilities are exceptionally advanced.
• She remains calm and practical after the battle, treating Wangchen’s corpse as proof of victory rather than celebrating. Her dissatisfaction at receiving only 129 years of cultivation highlights her growing awareness of the value and limits of the system.
• Wangchen shifts from arrogant confidence to shock, fear, and desperation. His decades of body-tempering prove useless against Jiang Yuechu, and his attempt to flee ultimately exposes his helplessness.
• Chen Tong and the Demon-Suppression Guards show loyalty by remaining behind to support Jiang Yuechu despite her order to leave. They successfully restrain the surviving young monk.

Significant themes

• Overconfidence and misjudgment: Wangchen assumes Jiang Yuechu’s youthful appearance means she is physically fragile, but his prejudice causes him to underestimate her and lose decisively.
• Strength beyond appearances: Jiang Yuechu’s delicate appearance contrasts sharply with her terrifying physical power.
• Human cultivation versus demonic cultivation: The chapter explains that demons generally provide more Dao Cultivation because they cultivate for longer periods, while humans are more numerous and therefore offer greater practical opportunities.
• The reversal of predator and prey: Wangchen, once a powerful martial figure, becomes powerless prey fleeing from Jiang Yuechu, who hunts him down like an animal.
• Pragmatism and emotional restraint: Jiang Yuechu focuses on results, cultivation gains, and securing survivors rather than allowing revenge or triumph to dominate her actions.

Character interactions

• Jiang Yuechu and Wangchen clash directly, with their exchange revealing the gap between his experience and her superior body-tempering strength.
• Jiang Yuechu commands Chen Tong and the guards to capture the remaining monk while she pursues Wangchen, demonstrating her authority and their obedience.
• The surviving young monk angrily threatens the guards by invoking Wangchen’s power, only to be confronted with the visual proof of his master’s death.
• Jiang Yuechu’s silent return, dragging Wangchen’s body like a “dead old dog,” completely destroys Baosha Temple’s aura of authority and leaves the remaining monk terrified.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuechu kills Wangchen, the Core Formation Realm head of Baosha Temple’s Discipline Hall, after he attacks her. His death shocks the Demon-Suppression Guards, who realize the conflict with Baosha Temple may have severe consequences.
• Wangchen’s surviving young disciple attempts to avenge him but is immediately kicked down by Jiang Yuechu and restrained.
• Jiang orders the guards to return to the Demon Suppression Office with Wangchen’s corpse and the surviving monk.
• The captured wealthy gentry are placed in the dungeon. Jiang orders the guards to interrogate them, but to release anyone proven uninvolved; the Qian Family receives particular attention.
• The surviving monk is imprisoned for Jiang to question the next day. Wangchen’s corpse is sent to the morgue despite his high status as a Baosha Temple leader.
• Bujie humorously searches Wangchen’s body for “travel money,” finds only a small pouch of copper coins, and gives it to Jiang. She lets him keep it as a reward.
• Jiang dismisses the guards and promises to treat them to a meal. Bujie immediately suggests Fortune Tower, while Liu Ke is embarrassed by his shamelessness.
• On her way home, Jiang reflects on the political weakness of the Longyou Demon Suppression Office, the arrogance of Baosha Temple, and her own reasons for fighting demons. She ultimately decides that her motives matter less than the protection her actions provide to ordinary people.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu demonstrates overwhelming confidence and authority. She remains calm after killing a Core Formation expert and refuses to be intimidated by Baosha Temple’s influence.
• Her pragmatic nature becomes clearer: she treats Wangchen’s body according to office procedure rather than granting him special respect, showing that rank and religious status do not exempt criminals from consequences.
• Jiang also reveals an introspective side. She questions whether her dedication to demon-slaying is truly altruistic or primarily motivated by Dao cultivation, but concludes that the benefit to victims still matters.
• Bujie provides comic relief through his irreverent behavior, shameless appetite, and opportunistic attempt to profit from Wangchen’s corpse. His actions also suggest social cleverness and an instinct for building a relationship with Jiang.
• Chen Tong accepts the dangerous situation with weary resignation, reflecting his practical, low-ranking outlook. His camaraderie with Liu Ke and Bujie strengthens.
• Liu Ke is conscientious and concerned about procedure and the political consequences of mistreating Baosha Temple, contrasting with Bujie’s boldness.
• The surviving young monk is psychologically shattered by his master’s death and loses the will to resist.

Significant Themes

• Justice versus political power: Jiang insists that even an influential religious leader is merely a corpse after death and must face the same institutional treatment as anyone else.
• The fragility of authority: Wangchen’s death exposes the tension between the Demon Suppression Office and powerful sects such as Baosha Temple.
• Duty and personal motives: Jiang questions whether her actions are driven by public duty, personal cultivation, or both. The chapter suggests that noble outcomes can matter even when motives are complicated.
• Mortality and equality in death: The title’s image of life’s brevity is reflected in Wangchen’s sudden death and in Bujie’s comment that worldly status becomes meaningless once someone is dead.
• Ordinary people and visible justice: Jiang recognizes that victims care less about her reasons than about seeing demons punished and their world made safer.

Character Interactions

• Jiang’s decisive killing of Wangchen establishes her dominance over both the monk and the guards.
• Her orders to Chen Tong, Liu Ke, and the others reinforce the chain of command, while their hesitation reveals their fear of Baosha Temple’s retaliation.
• Bujie’s irreverent conversation with Jiang contrasts with Liu Ke’s formality and discomfort.
• After Jiang leaves, Bujie and Liu Ke argue over manners and strategy, while Chen Tong reconciles them and encourages them to drink together.
• Jiang’s silent reflection after leaving the office provides the chapter’s emotional conclusion, shifting from external conflict to her internal understanding of justice and purpose.

Chapter Summary: “Ah? Me?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuechu returns to the back hall after killing Wangchen, chief of Baosha Temple’s Discipline Hall.
• Wei He and Xu Changfeng are waiting for her. Wei confirms that the matter has been “settled” and approves of her actions.
• Wei He establishes the official version of events: Wangchen colluded with Liangzhou’s wealthy gentry, attempted to assassinate an imperial official, and was killed while resisting arrest.
• He orders Xu Changfeng to submit an urgent report to the Upper Capital and announces a sweeping investigation of all temples in Longyou. Temples found cooperating with demons are to be executed first and reported afterward.
• Xu Changfeng worries that openly publicizing Wangchen’s death will provoke Baosha Temple and its Buddhist followers, creating chaos throughout the martial world.
• Wei He rejects caution and argues that the Demon Suppression Office should not fear Baosha Temple. He insists that the conflict has exposed Longyou’s broader weakness and that the region’s disorder must end.
• Wei identifies the vacant Commandant position as the reason powerful clans, sects, merchants, and other forces have repeatedly challenged the Demon Suppression Office.
• He confidently claims that Longyou’s lack of leadership will soon be resolved, causing both Xu Changfeng and Jiang Yuechu to suspect that he intends to appoint or rely on Jiang.
• The chapter ends with Xu Changfeng realizing Wei He may mean Jiang Yuechu, while Jiang reacts in shock: “Ah? Me?”

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu: Demonstrates decisive strength by killing Wangchen and shows little concern for political consequences. Though she appears sleepy and detached, she has been carefully listening and understands the seriousness of Longyou’s instability. She is surprised and uneasy when she realizes Wei may be positioning her for a greater responsibility.
• Wei He: Reveals himself as bold, politically aggressive, and unwilling to compromise with Baosha Temple or other local powers. He uses Wangchen’s death as an opportunity to openly challenge entrenched forces and restore the Demon Suppression Office’s authority.
• Xu Changfeng: Acts as the cautious and pragmatic counterweight to Wei He. He worries about provoking Baosha Temple and understands the dangers of acting publicly, but he also recognizes the logic behind Wei He’s broader strategy.

Significant Themes

• Authority versus entrenched power: The imperial Demon Suppression Office struggles against temples, sects, wealthy clans, and merchants that have grown emboldened by the absence of a regional leader.
• Open confrontation versus political caution: Xu Changfeng favors secrecy and damage control, while Wei He believes that hiding weakness only encourages further defiance.
• Restoring order through decisive action: Wangchen’s death becomes more than an isolated punishment; it is presented as the first step in a campaign to reassert imperial authority across Longyou.
• Unexpected responsibility: Jiang Yuechu may be forced into a much larger role than she anticipated, potentially becoming the figure capable of stabilizing the region.

Character Interactions

• Wei He treats Jiang Yuechu as a trusted subordinate and publicly justifies her killing of Wangchen.
• Xu Changfeng offers Jiang ambiguous praise, revealing both admiration for her skill and concern about the consequences of her actions.
• Wei He and Xu Changfeng debate whether the Office should appease or confront Baosha Temple, with Wei He decisively favoring confrontation.
• Wei’s final gaze toward Jiang causes Xu Changfeng to infer that she may be connected to his plan to fill Longyou’s leadership vacuum, leaving Jiang startled and apprehensive.

Chapter Summary: “Commander?!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wei He reveals that Jiang Yuechu has been appointed acting Commander of the Longyou Demon Suppression Office, a Principal Third Rank position.
• Xu Changfeng is shocked, arguing that Jiang is too young, inexperienced, and low-ranking to hold such authority.
• Wei He defends the appointment by emphasizing Jiang’s fearlessness and accomplishments:
  • Killing the Heaven-Flattening True Lord at Jade Gate Pass.
  • Confronting the White Flood Dragon alone at Black River.
  • Executing the head of Baosha Temple’s Discipline Hall despite the political consequences.
• Wei He produces an official edict from Upper Capital confirming Jiang’s appointment. The order had arrived before the night’s confrontation, proving that her promotion was not merely a reward for killing the temple leader.
• Jiang learns that the position is initially only ceremonial. She will not receive full authority unless she reaches the Lotus-Seeding Realm and passes further trials imposed by the Chief Office.
• One major benefit is revealed: because Jiang is now registered with the Chief Office, the Chief Commander will personally avenge her if Baosha Temple kills her.
• After Jiang leaves, Xu Changfeng questions why the Chief Office would favor her. Wei He rejects the idea that her known Jiang family background is responsible and warns Xu not to repeat dangerous rumors.
• Wei He then reveals the true reason for the appointment: when Jiang first entered the Demon Suppression Office, she was already in the String-Hearing Realm, an astonishing level of cultivation for someone who appeared to be only a new recruit.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu is forced into a position far beyond her experience. She remains reluctant to manage political and administrative affairs, preferring to kill demons, but gradually accepts the appointment after understanding its provisional nature and underlying benefits.
• Her extraordinary talent becomes clearer: she has advanced from the String-Hearing Realm to the Core Formation Realm in roughly a month, suggesting nearly unprecedented cultivation speed.
• Wei He demonstrates his confidence in Jiang’s courage and potential. He also shows himself to be politically perceptive, aware of both the Chief Office’s motives and the dangers surrounding Jiang’s identity.
• Xu Changfeng shifts from outrage to disbelief and fear. His assumptions about Jiang’s origins and status are challenged, while his own inferiority becomes apparent because Jiang has already surpassed him.
• The Chief Office is portrayed as cautious but willing to make an extraordinary exception because of Jiang’s rare talent.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus experience: Jiang lacks seniority and political skill, but her strength, courage, and rapid growth outweigh traditional qualifications.
• Institutional trust and probation: The court refuses to grant Jiang full authority immediately, reflecting concerns that she could be a spy, an outsider, or someone who might abandon the state after gaining resources.
• Power and political protection: The appointment gives Jiang symbolic status and powerful backing, showing how official recognition can shield an individual from hostile martial sects.
• Fearlessness as leadership: Wei He suggests that decisive action and the willingness to kill corrupt or dangerous figures may matter more than connections and political maneuvering.
• Hidden identity and dangerous rumors: Xu’s near-reference to Jiang’s deeper background implies that her origins may be connected to secrets or forces powerful enough to make even discussing them dangerous.

Character Interactions

• Wei He and Xu Changfeng clash over Jiang’s suitability for command. Xu argues from conventional standards, while Wei He insists that Jiang’s deeds prove her worth.
• Wei He and Jiang discuss the practical meaning of the appointment. Jiang reacts with disbelief and sarcasm, especially toward the promise of revenge after her death, while Wei He patiently explains the court’s restrictions.
• Xu’s questioning about Jiang’s background nearly crosses a forbidden line, prompting Wei He to issue a sharp warning.
• The chapter ends with Wei He’s revelation about Jiang’s initial String-Hearing Realm, leaving Xu—and the reader—to reconsider just how extraordinary Jiang truly is.

Chapter Summary: “Distributing Stipends”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuechu rises before dawn and practices Yin-Yang Crisscross Hand in her courtyard.
• Officials from the Regional Commander’s Office deliver her monthly stipend as a Sixth-Rank Langjiang:
  • One hundred taels of silver
  • Forty shi of rice—roughly four thousand jin
  • One hundred and twenty jin of meat
  • Fine silk, aged wine, and other provisions
• Overwhelmed by the enormous quantity, Jiang stores the silver and supplies the food by curing meat, storing rice, and preserving other goods.
• She cooks a simple meat porridge and reflects on her current situation.
• Jiang identifies two immediate priorities:
  1. Hunt demons to strengthen her cultivation and reach the Ink-Dot Realm.
  2. Investigate Baosha Temple after killing Wangchen, since reconciliation is no longer possible and she intends to strike first rather than wait for retaliation.
• Jiang goes to Heaven Division intending to resume official activity, but discovers Li Qingyuan and Shi Chongyue are preparing to leave. Shi is seeking rare materials for his Core Formation breakthrough.
• Although disappointed that they are not going demon hunting, Jiang becomes interested when Li Qingyuan mentions that the office has found clues about the previous Black River White Flood Dragon incident.

Character Development

• Jiang Yuechu: Her practical, frugal nature is emphasized as she organizes an excessive stipend instead of indulging in luxury. Her thoughts reveal growing awareness of her vulnerability despite being in the Core Formation Realm. She becomes more proactive and strategically minded, resolving to hunt demons for power and investigate Baosha Temple before it can attack her.
• Li Qingyuan: He remains courteous and considerate toward Jiang, noticing her disappointment and offering information to retain her attention.
• Shi Chongyue: His preparation to break through to Core Formation establishes his ambition and current cultivation goal.

Significant Themes

• Power and insecurity: Despite Jiang’s strength, she recognizes that being outnumbered could still put her in danger; true security requires greater cultivation.
• Proactive conflict: Jiang rejects passively waiting for Baosha Temple’s revenge and decides that preemptive action is the safer path.
• Wealth and responsibility: Her large stipend reflects her elevated status, but also creates practical burdens. Jiang treats the resources as provisions to manage carefully rather than symbols of luxury.
• Cultivation as survival: Advancement is not merely an achievement but a necessity in a dangerous world where strength in numbers can overwhelm individual talent.

Character Interactions

• Treasury officials respectfully deliver Jiang’s stipend and explain that her rank entitles her to special treatment.
• Jiang briefly considers her reliance on Wei Qing for meals, contrasting her official wealth with her casual daily habits.
• At Heaven Division, Jiang exchanges greetings with Li Qingyuan and Shi Chongyue.
• Li explains their trip and notices Jiang’s lack of interest, then draws her back into conversation by revealing new information about the White Flood Dragon case.

Chapter Summary: Qiang River Dragon King

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingyuan privately warns Jiang Yuechu that the White Flood Dragon she killed belonged to an exceptionally rare and powerful clan from the Western Regions.
• He reveals that a powerful White Flood Dragon known as the Qiang River Dragon King once terrorized the border between Jiannan and Longyou. Although the Demon Suppression Offices of both regions attacked it, they only forced it into the depths of the Qiang River and failed to kill it.
• The exact relationship between the slain Black River White Flood Dragon and the Qiang River Dragon King is unknown, but Li fears the Dragon King may seek revenge.
• The Dragon King was once able to withstand several Core Formation Realm experts, making it a serious threat.
• Jiang Yuechu decides to travel to Jiannan Circuit to investigate the Dragon King and prepare for the danger rather than wait passively for an attack.
• Wei He initially questions her decision, arguing that Jiannan and Longyou’s Demon Suppression Offices should be capable of handling the situation. However, Jiang’s past achievements make it difficult for him to dismiss her concerns.
• To give her trip official legitimacy, Wei He issues a formal document dispatching Jiang to Jiannan to exchange intelligence and coordinate countermeasures concerning the White Flood Dragon incident.
• Jiang accepts the order and prepares to leave, with Wei warning her to avoid unnecessary conflict with Jiannan’s officials.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu demonstrates her usual calm, courage, and independence. Rather than being frightened by the Dragon King’s strength, she becomes more determined to confront the threat directly.
• Her experiences at Golden City, Jade Gate Pass, and Black River have established her as someone who repeatedly takes responsibility when others prove unreliable. She refuses to depend entirely on official protection.
• Wei He is revealed as somewhat defensive about the weaknesses of the Longyou Commandery, especially its vacant Commander position and internal disorder. Despite this, he recognizes Jiang’s competence and ultimately supports her.
• Wei also shows political awareness by arranging her mission as official business, protecting both Jiang’s authority and the dignity of the regional offices.
• Li Qingyuan acts as a cautious informant, providing Jiang with historical and strategic knowledge while emphasizing the seriousness of the potential threat.

Significant Themes

• Self-reliance versus institutional protection: Jiang does not assume that government forces will be able to protect her, choosing instead to investigate the danger herself.
• The consequences of killing a powerful demon: The death of the Black River White Flood Dragon may trigger retaliation from a larger clan or an allied figure.
• Bureaucracy and political legitimacy: Even when action is necessary, official rules and regional pride must be respected. Wei’s document allows Jiang to act without appearing to interfere improperly in Jiannan affairs.
• Human order versus demonic unpredictability: Human officials are constrained by laws, reputation, and procedure, while ancient demons act according to personal will, making them harder to anticipate.
• Growing recognition of Jiang’s ability: Her repeated successes have made her indispensable, even if senior officials are reluctant to admit how much they rely on her.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingyuan and Jiang Yuechu share a discreet conversation in which he warns her about the Dragon King and its possible connection to the slain White Flood Dragon.
• Jiang and Wei He engage in a tense but familiar debate. Wei tries to reassure her that the regional offices can handle the threat, while Jiang’s silent skepticism exposes the gaps in his argument.
• Wei recalls Jiang’s previous victories, implicitly acknowledging that she has often been the person capable of saving others when official forces failed.
• Although exasperated by her determination, Wei ultimately helps her by granting official authorization and offering his support if she encounters difficulties in Jiannan.
• The chapter ends with Jiang respectfully accepting Wei’s order, reinforcing their relationship of mutual trust beneath their argumentative exchanges.

Chapter Summary: Jiannan Circuit

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuechu travels through the fog-shrouded mountains of Jiannan Circuit, accompanied only by her black horse.
• At a fork in the road, she encounters three armed men dressed in black and wearing wolf-fur cloaks. The men immediately become wary, but neither side speaks or attacks.
• Jiang continues toward a ferry crossing a wide, turbulent river. She pays the old boatman to transport both herself and her horse.
• The boatman warns her that the riverbanks have recently been dangerous. He recounts that, a few nights earlier, the river rose violently—as though caused by a supernatural battle or the anger of the Qiang River Dragon King.
• The same three men arrive at the ferry and board with their horses. Their leader questions the boatman about the river’s disturbances and the local Demon Suppression Office.
• The boatman reveals that a Demon Suppression Office is stationed downstream at Bluestone Ferry, though officials rarely visit the riverbanks.
• The men subtly surround Jiang Yuechu at the front of the boat, suggesting that they may be tracking her or have suspicious intentions.
• Just as the boatman assures them that the river has returned to normal, the ferry suddenly jolts violently, ending the chapter on an ominous cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu remains calm, observant, and self-possessed despite the isolated setting, the strange men, and the warnings about supernatural disturbances.
• Her fascination with Jiannan’s lush mountains and possible demons reveals her curiosity and enthusiasm for adventure, contrasting with the danger surrounding her.
• The three armed travelers are introduced as disciplined and cautious figures. Their coordinated movements and guarded silence imply training and a mission.
• Their leader appears to be the group’s spokesman and investigator, actively gathering information about the river and local supernatural authorities.
• The old boatman serves as a knowledgeable local guide. Though seemingly ordinary and somewhat evasive, he is familiar with the recent river disaster and the regional Demon Suppression Office.

Significant Themes

• Beauty contrasted with danger: Jiannan’s lush, picturesque landscape conceals supernatural threats and political or martial tension.
• The supernatural entering the ordinary world: A routine ferry crossing becomes ominous through rumors of the Dragon King, magical combat, and unnatural flooding.
• Suspicion and hidden intentions: The silence and positioning of the three men create tension, suggesting that appearances conceal their true motives.
• Travel and discovery: Jiang’s journey fulfills a personal wish while also drawing her into unfamiliar dangers and local mysteries.
• Nature as an unpredictable force: The river, mountains, fog, and weather are portrayed as powerful and possibly influenced by supernatural beings.

Character Interactions

• Jiang and the three men acknowledge one another without speaking during their first roadside encounter, establishing mutual caution.
• Jiang speaks briefly with the boatman, asking about the crossing and the safety of her horse.
• The boatman warns Jiang about the troubled river and mentions the Qiang River Dragon King, prompting her interest in whether he is a demon.
• When the three men board, they pay the boatman and quietly position themselves around Jiang.
• The group questions the boatman about the river’s recent behavior and the location of the Demon Suppression Office, revealing that they are likely investigating the disturbance.
• The chapter ends before anyone can react to the ferry’s sudden violent movement, leaving the nature of the danger unresolved.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The group crosses a dangerous stretch of river when the water suddenly becomes violently turbulent, likely due to the nearby White Flood Dragon Clan or another powerful river demon.
• The disturbance ends as abruptly as it began, leaving the boat and passengers shaken. The terrified boatman invokes the Dragon King and rushes everyone to shore.
• After landing, Jiang Yuechu asks for directions to Bluestone Ferry, which lies downstream in territory controlled by the Demon Suppression Office.
• The boatman warns her that the area is heavily guarded and that strangers may be attacked without warning.
• Jiang Yuechu ignores the warning and departs alone toward Bluestone Ferry.
• One of the three young men traveling with her stops her and asks whether she is from the Jiannan Regional Office. She denies it, offers no further explanation, and rides away.
• After she leaves, one of the men reveals that he secretly tested her cultivation but could not perceive her strength. He concludes that she is at least a Core Formation Realm expert.
• The men are shocked because Jiang Yuechu appears to be only seventeen or eighteen. Their leader, Gu, speculates that she is the extraordinary young genius his elder sister had mentioned—a talent from Longyou whose abilities surpass even his sister’s achievements in her youth.
• Jiang Yuechu continues toward the Jiannan region, reflecting on Wei He’s instructions. She intends to inform the local Demon Suppression Office before confronting the Great Demon near Bluestone Ferry.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu is established as extraordinarily powerful, disciplined, and young, likely possessing Core Formation Realm cultivation. Despite her confidence and impatience, she respects institutional rules and is concerned about protecting Wei He’s reputation.
• The old boatman is portrayed as deeply fearful of the river demon and local supernatural forces. His panic reinforces the danger surrounding the Qiang River.
• The three young men, especially Gu and Old Zhang, gain a greater awareness of Jiang Yuechu’s identity and power. Their initial curiosity turns into shock and admiration.
• Gu demonstrates knowledge of prominent figures within the Demon Suppression Office and begins connecting Jiang Yuechu with rumors of a peerless young genius.
• Wei He, though absent, influences Jiang Yuechu’s decisions through his prior warning to coordinate with the Jiannan Regional Office.

Significant Themes

• Hidden power and mistaken appearances: Jiang Yuechu looks like an ordinary teenager, but her strength is beyond what the travelers can detect or imagine.
• The danger of the supernatural world: The sudden river disturbance and the boatman’s terror emphasize that powerful demons remain active despite official reports claiming they have been suppressed.
• Rules versus personal ability: Jiang Yuechu could likely eliminate the local demon quickly, especially in her own territory, but chooses to follow proper procedures in Jiannan.
• Reputation and responsibility: Her concern for Wei He’s standing shows that powerful individuals must consider the political and institutional consequences of their actions.
• Regional tensions and authority: The chapter highlights the importance of territorial boundaries between the Longyou and Jiannan offices and the need to respect local jurisdiction.

Character Interactions

• The boatman reacts to the river disturbance with terror and urges everyone to leave as quickly as possible.
• Jiang Yuechu calmly questions him about Bluestone Ferry, contrasting sharply with his fear.
• Gu attempts to question Jiang Yuechu about her affiliation, but she dismisses the inquiry and rides away.
• Afterward, Old Zhang tells Gu that Jiang Yuechu’s cultivation is unfathomably deep, prompting disbelief from the third traveler.
• Gu links her to a legendary young talent mentioned by his elder sister, who is the current Right Demon Suppression Envoy of Great Tang.
• Jiang Yuechu’s internal reflections show her balancing her own overwhelming power against her obligation to cooperate with the local authorities.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Yuechu reaches a Demon-Suppression Office post at Bluestone Ferry, seeking to address the Qiang River Dragon King.
• She identifies herself as a Langjiang of Longyou Commandery. The guards verify her credentials, then report her arrival to their superior.
• Guan Langjiang orders that she be turned away: the Jiannan Regional Office claims authority over the matter and forbids anyone from interfering with or disturbing the Dragon King.
• Jiang Yuechu objects to being barred from acting, and the scarred guard threatens to treat her as a demon accomplice if she proceeds.
• More than a hundred guards gather to block her. Jiang Yuechu refuses to back down and says she will force her way through.
• A veteran commander emerges, drives a huge halberd into the ground before her, and warns her to leave—or take another step and face the consequences.

Character developments

• Jiang Yuechu remains composed and respectful at first, but turns openly defiant when the Jiannan office uses threats to stop her. Her confidence suggests she is willing to confront its forces alone.
• The scarred guard begins cautiously courteous, but loyalty to Guan Langjiang and pride in Jiannan’s authority lead him to escalate from refusal to threats.
• The veteran commander is introduced as an experienced, formidable authority figure whose arrival turns the standoff into a direct challenge.

Significant themes

• Jurisdiction and institutional rivalry: Jiannan’s office insists that Longyou has no authority in its territory.
• Duty versus obstruction: The conflict raises the question of whether official boundaries should prevent action against a dangerous creature.
• Power and intimidation: Both sides assert authority—first through the guards’ numbers and threats, then through Jiang Yuechu’s resolve and the commander’s dramatic show of force.

Character interactions

• Jiang Yuechu initially approaches the guards formally and accepts their caution.
• The scarred guard first tries to redirect her, then delivers Guan Langjiang’s refusal and warns her not to interfere.
• Jiang Yuechu challenges the office’s stance with biting sarcasm and openly rejects its attempt to intimidate her.
• The veteran commander confronts her directly, offering one final chance to withdraw before violence begins.

Plot points and events

• At Bluestone Ferry, Jiang Yuechu confronts Guan Youlong, a veteran Demon Suppression Office commander. He attacks with the back of his enormous halberd, intending to injure rather than kill her.
• Jiang stops the blow with one hand, takes control of the halberd, and knees Guan in the abdomen, sending him flying and leaving him coughing blood. She tosses the weapon aside.
• Furious and humiliated, Guan orders his guards to seize her. The scar-faced guard rallies more than a hundred men, who draw their sabers and surround Jiang.
• Jiang realizes their desperate response suggests something is wrong with their supposed guard duty. She prepares to fight, though she regrets that her actions may cause trouble for Wei He.
• A young official she encountered earlier at the ferry arrives with two companions and stops the confrontation. He rebukes Guan for attacking a colleague, reveals his identity token, and declares the act a capital offense.
• His companion throws an iron chain at Guan and orders him to submit. After a tense pause, Guan picks up the chain and tells the scar-faced guard to carry out the order.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yuechu proves far stronger than her youthful appearance suggests. She remains composed, defeats Guan with ease, and recognizes that the guards’ conduct points to a deeper problem.
• Guan Youlong shifts from arrogant confidence to shock, rage, and finally reluctant submission when confronted by the arriving official.
• The young official intervenes decisively, protecting Jiang and asserting authority over Guan. His status is high enough that Guan obeys despite his anger.
• The guards move from fear and disbelief at Jiang’s strength to armed solidarity with Guan, apparently worried that exposure of their actions will implicate them.
• Jiang and the young official have little direct exchange, but his intervention prevents the fight from escalating into a massacre.

Significant themes

• Power and appearances: Jiang’s youth conceals overwhelming strength, while Guan’s reputation cannot protect him from defeat.
• Abuse of authority and accountability: The guards’ violent response suggests misconduct, and the official frames Guan’s attack on a colleague as a capital offense.
• Force versus lawful authority: Jiang can overpower her opponents, but the official’s intervention redirects the conflict toward discipline and formal punishment.

Key plot points and events

• Gu Changge, a black-robed inspector from Demon Suppression Headquarters, takes control of the Qiang River Dragon King investigation and has Guan Youlong arrested under strict guard.
• He invites Jiang Yuechu to investigate with him, then searches Guan Youlong’s room while questioning Scarface, one of Guan’s subordinates.
• Scarface says a Great Demon at peak Core Formation was badly wounded years ago but escaped into the Qiang River. Guan was supposedly assigned to keep it contained, while senior officers were occupied elsewhere.
• Gu challenges this account: the river’s repeated disturbances suggest the demon is active, and Guan—stationed there for over a decade—could not have failed to notice.
• Gu reveals that Headquarters already knows of Guan’s failures and presses Scarface to tell the truth, offering to consider pleading for leniency.
• Scarface admits Guan is near the end of his life. Now 117, he has been stuck at Core Formation for nearly sixty years and has failed seven times to gain a Spirit Imprint at the Martial Temple. Without a breakthrough, his vitality will soon fail.

Character developments and interactions

• Gu Changge establishes himself as an authoritative, perceptive investigator. He uses evidence, sharp questioning, and calculated compassion to make Scarface confess.
• Jiang Yuechu shifts from guarded suspicion to cooperation after Gu identifies himself and helps her. She watches his investigation closely and begins to understand why Guan may have acted as he did.
• Scarface moves from fearful silence to a reluctant confession, motivated by Gu’s promise that his own fate may not be sealed.
• Guan Youlong, though absent from the questioning, is shown to have neglected his duty and concealed his failing prospects from those under his command.

Significant themes

• Duty and complicity: Following a superior’s orders does not erase responsibility for neglect.
• Institutional oversight: The Head Office’s inspectors exist to expose corruption and failure within regional branches.
• Fear of mortality and ambition: Guan’s inability to advance—and his approaching death—may explain his inaction.
• Truth extracted through leverage: Gu combines the threat of punishment with the possibility of mercy to uncover what Scarface knows.

Plot points and events

• Gu Changge learns that Guan Youlong and the wounded Qiang River Dragon King had reached a tacit arrangement: the demon would eat only a limited number of people, while Guan avoided reporting or killing it. This let Guan preserve his chance to enter the Martial Temple and the demon recover safely.
• Scarface admits the demon ate two people each month. Enraged, Gu Changge kicks him and condemns him for sacrificing local residents to protect Guan’s ambitions, then orders him to bring Guan in.
• Gu Changge apologizes to Jiang Yuechu for exposing the corruption of the Demon Suppression Office. She accepts the truth but judges that Guan could have reported the threat rather than letting people die.
• Guan is brought in chains. He insists he has committed no crime and argues that his decades of service, injuries, and personal losses should earn him a few more years to pursue a breakthrough and kill the demon himself.
• Gu acknowledges Guan’s past record, but points out that during his seventeen years and seven months guarding the river, the demon killed 412 people. He challenges Guan to say whose lives he was protecting.

Character developments and interactions

• Gu Changge shifts from listening calmly to furious moral condemnation, then remains composed while confronting Guan. He recognizes Guan’s achievements but refuses to let them excuse present harm.
• Guan Youlong is revealed as a once-decorated demon slayer whose grief, fear of death, and desire for advancement have overtaken his duty. His defense turns from denial to pleading.
• Jiang Yuechu quietly observes the proceedings. Her view of the Office’s ideals is tested, and she concludes that Guan’s fear did not justify leaving civilians to die.
• Scarface confirms the arrangement and withdraws after Gu’s rebuke.

Significant themes

• Duty versus self-preservation: Guan’s desire to survive and earn another chance at advancement conflicts with his responsibility to protect civilians.
• The value of lives and accountability: Past service cannot cancel ongoing harm; Gu makes the human cost concrete by calculating the victims.
• Institutional corruption and compromised ideals: A demon-suppression post has become a quiet bargain between an official and a demon, exposing the gap between the Office’s purpose and its conduct.
• What one chooses to protect: Gu’s final question contrasts Guan’s original commitment with what he now serves—setting the chapter’s central moral challenge.

Key plot points and events

• Deep in a cavern beneath the Qiang River, an injured White Flood Dragon eats a corpse to speed its recovery. It has learned that Xu’er was killed in Liangzhou and wants to heal before year’s end so it can take revenge. Though it previously promised Guan Youlong to eat only two people a month, it decides to exceed that limit and inform him.
• At the stronghold, Gu Changge confronts Guan Youlong with the number of people who have died during his seventeen-year arrangement with the dragon: 412. Guan, who had focused on his own record of killing 372 demons, is devastated by the total.
• Gu asks where the dragon’s lair is. Guan argues that finding and killing it is extremely dangerous: the Qiang River is vast and maze-like, and even a past force of seventeen Core Formation cultivators lost two people without capturing the beast. Gu Changge has only two such cultivators under his command.
• Gu orders Guan detained and proposes requesting reinforcements from the Head Office. Jiang Yuechu points out that the journey will take at least a month—an unacceptable delay when the dragon’s whereabouts are still unknown.
• Before they can decide what to do, a powerful demonic aura approaches. A handsome, white-robed young man arrives at the stronghold, greeting the guards cheerfully and asking for Guan. Despite the guards’ fear, he enters as if he belongs there, suggesting he has visited before.

Character developments and interactions

• Guan Youlong is shaken by the revelation that his bargain cost 412 lives. His former pride in serving the Demon Suppression Office gives way to shame and despair. Still, he insists that confronting the dragon without sufficient forces would be suicidal.
• Gu Changge tries to investigate the killings and arrange a response, but recognizes the limits of his current force. He treats Jiang Yuechu courteously and proposes seeking help.
• Jiang Yuechu is impatient with delays and asks directly how long reinforcements will take, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
• The White Flood Dragon is driven by revenge for Xu’er’s death, but its injuries and prior agreement with Guan complicate its plans.
• The white-robed stranger contrasts a friendly, refined manner with the intense demonic aura that terrifies the guards. His familiarity with Guan—and his casual entry into the stronghold—makes his identity and intentions ominous.

Significant themes

• Complicity and accountability: Guan’s personal sacrifices and demon-killing record do not erase the human cost of his bargain.
• The limits of power and bureaucracy: The dragon is difficult to reach, while obtaining reinforcements would take too long.
• Revenge and urgency: The dragon’s desire to avenge Xu’er creates an approaching threat.
• Appearance versus reality: The stranger’s charming demeanor conceals—or sharply contrasts with—the danger sensed by the guards.

Key plot points and events

• Gu Changge spots demonic aura near the stockade and urges Jiang Yuechu to wait while he gathers two allies for an ambush.
• The demon, disguised as a handsome young man, is attacked by two Core Formation guards. He transforms into a White Flood Dragon and tries to escape toward the Qiang River.
• Jiang Yuechu blocks its path and plunges her fingers into its eyes. Gu Changge and the guards strike the dragon, but it retaliates by summoning a storm of water arrows from the river.
• While the three men fend off the barrage, the injured dragon smashes through the stockade and dives into the river with Jiang Yuechu still clinging to its head.
• The water attack ends, leaving the stockade wrecked. Gu Changge and his men cannot see Jiang Yuechu or the dragon, and Gu Changge fears she has died. His companions warn that pursuing the creature underwater would be suicidal.

Character developments

• Gu Changge is cautious and strategic, recognizing a chance to ambush the wounded demon. His concern for Jiang Yuechu becomes clear when she disappears, and he is overwhelmed by guilt and fear.
• Jiang Yuechu proves boldly aggressive, ignoring Gu Changge’s plan and attacking the dragon head-on. She remains attached to it even as it escapes into the river.
• The White Flood Dragon is caught off guard by the ambush but demonstrates formidable strength and control over water. In pain, it prioritizes escape over fighting.
• Old Zhang and the other guard show battlefield competence, but they are unwilling to risk entering the river against the dragon.

Significant themes

• Recklessness versus caution: Jiang Yuechu’s direct attack contrasts with Gu Changge’s careful ambush plan.
• Sacrifice and responsibility: Gu Changge’s fear that Jiang Yuechu has died weighs on him as the inspecting envoy responsible for the situation.
• A shifting balance of power: The dragon is vulnerable on land but gains the advantage once it reaches the river.

Character interactions

• Gu Changge tries to restrain Jiang Yuechu and persuade her to wait, but she quietly avoids his hand and acts independently.
• Jiang Yuechu and Gu Changge coordinate briefly in battle: she attacks the dragon’s eyes while he targets gaps in its scales.
• After the dragon escapes, Gu Changge demands that his men save Jiang Yuechu; they caution him that entering the river would likely cost them their lives.

Plot points and events

• Jiang Yuechu and the White Flood Dragon plunge into the Qiang River. The dragon expects the deep water to weaken her and plans to drag her to its lair at the river’s hundred-zhang depth.
• Jiang Yuechu discovers that her Water Manipulation Divine Ability lets her breathe and see clearly underwater, while the dragon’s eye socket remains her grip.
• At the riverbed, she surprises the dragon by speaking underwater, then transforms her fingers into claws and repeatedly punches its head and body while clinging to its neck.
• Badly injured and unable to shake her, the dragon brings out its Dragon Pearl, unleashing a force that repels Jiang Yuechu and finally breaks her hold.
• The two face off underwater: Jiang Yuechu is bruised but composed, while the battered dragon is furious and fearful.

Character developments

• Jiang Yuechu shows formidable physical strength, composure, and adaptability. She quickly masters the underwater advantage of her Divine Ability and remains relentless despite the dragon’s attempts to overwhelm her.
• The White Flood Dragon shifts from smug confidence in its home waters to disbelief, panic, and desperation as Jiang Yuechu proves immune to the river’s usual threats. It resorts to revealing its treasured Dragon Pearl.

Significant themes

• Reversal of expectations: The dragon’s home-water advantage fails against Jiang Yuechu.
• Human versus monster: The dragon’s incredulous question—whether she is human or demon—underscores how monstrous her abilities seem.
• Courage and persistence: Jiang Yuechu refuses to release her grip, even as the dragon dives deeper and violently struggles.

Character interactions

• The encounter is a direct contest of confidence and will: the dragon tries to intimidate and exhaust Jiang Yuechu, while she answers with calm taunts and punishing attacks.
• Once freed by the Dragon Pearl, the dragon glares at Jiang Yuechu with hatred, setting up the next stage of their confrontation.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Yuechu tastes the White Flood Dragon’s blood, triggering her Blood Sustenance Art.
• The wounded dragon uses the Dragon Pearl to command the river, trapping her in a storm of water blades. Jiang turns the blades around and sends them back, striking the dragon with its own Divine Ability.
• The dragon tries to flee, then makes a desperate charge with its horn. Jiang stops it barehanded, swings its massive body, and slams it into the riverbed.
• As Jiang pins the dragon, it offers the Dragon Pearl and promises to serve her in exchange for its life. She rejects the offer, saying it is too ugly to ride—and that she would rather taste its flesh and blood.
• Jiang kills it by driving a blade grown from her arm through its eye and into its brain. A system notice reports that she has gained 1,645 years of Dao Cultivation.

Character developments

• Jiang Yuechu displays overwhelming strength, control over water, and unnerving composure. Her appetite for blood and flesh is revealed as a defining, predatory trait; she shows no interest in mercy or the dragon’s offer.
• The White Flood Dragon shifts from confidence in its territory and Dragon Pearl to confusion, humiliation, desperation, and fear. Its pride ultimately gives way to surrender, but it cannot persuade Jiang to spare it.

Significant themes

• Power overturned: The dragon’s command of its home territory proves useless against Jiang’s superior abilities.
• Predation and survival: The fight ends not with negotiation but with Jiang treating the defeated enemy as food and a source of cultivation.
• Pride and humiliation: The dragon’s attachment to its status and domain pushes it to risk a final attack, even after its advantages have failed.
• Mercy rejected: The dragon’s offer of service cannot overcome Jiang’s appetite and contempt.

Character interactions

• The dragon repeatedly challenges and attacks Jiang, first with water blades and then with a full-force charge; she counters both with ease.
• After being pinned, the dragon begs for its life and offers submission. Jiang answers with ridicule and kills it, establishing the encounter as a one-sided contest rather than a genuine negotiation.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Yuechu kills the White Flood Dragon beneath the Qiang River and takes a mysterious, water-filled pearl from its body.
• After consuming the demon, she advances to the late Core Formation realm. The Hundred Demons Register does not react, which she suspects is because she has already recorded the same kind of demon.
• She returns to shore carrying only the dragon’s enormous head, explaining that its body was too heavy and has been left underwater for the fish.
• Meanwhile, Gu Changge and the others assume she has died after nearly an hour underwater. Gu regrets allowing her to go and is mourning her when she bursts from the river with the dragon’s head.
• The group is stunned by her victory. Gu manages to confirm that the head is more than enough to complete the assignment.

Character developments

• Jiang Yuechu grows stronger through the battle and remains cool, practical, and untroubled by the danger she faced. She also shows foresight by keeping the pearl for later study.
• Gu Changge shifts from guilt and despair to astonishment and relief. His composure is shaken by the realization that Jiang has defeated a powerful demon he thought would kill her.
• Old Zhang and the others move from dread to disbelief at Jiang’s unexpected return and triumph.

Significant themes

• Appearances versus reality: Jiang looks like a young, vulnerable cultivator, yet returns carrying proof of a seemingly impossible victory.
• Power and growth: Defeating the dragon yields both a cultivation breakthrough and a valuable treasure.
• Fear, guilt, and relief: The shore party’s grief highlights the danger Jiang faced, while her return abruptly reverses their expectations.
• Practicality over spectacle: Jiang leaves the dragon’s body behind and treats the victory as a straightforward completion of the task.

Character interactions

• Gu’s concern for Jiang is evident in his regret that he did not stop her, while Old Zhang tries to persuade him to withdraw.
• Jiang addresses Gu formally and matter-of-factly reports the dragon’s fate. Her blunt question—whether the head is enough—cuts through the group’s stunned silence.
• Gu attempts to recover his dignified manner, but his trembling voice reveals how thoroughly the encounter has shaken him.